Handle construction for bit braces or the like



Feb. 24, 1953 w. J, CAVANAGH 2,629,412

HANDLE CONSTRUCTION FOR BIT BRACES OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 1-8, 1947 v INVENTOR Wz'lldzm Jaauanqyfi/ Patented Feb. 24, 1953 HANDLE CONSTRUCTION FOR BIT BRACES OR THE LIKE William J. Cavanagh, Southington, Conn., as-

signor to The Peck, Stow & Wilcox Company, Southington, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 18, 1947, Serial No. 792,397

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to handles for tools, and in particular to a center-handle construction for a bit brace or the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved construction of the character indicated.

It is a more specific object to provide an improved construction for a molded-plastic handle to be revolubly mounted upon a supporting rod, shaft, crank, or the like.

Other objects and various further features of the invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bit brace to which a center handle has been applied in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken sub stantially in the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of an element used in the construction of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of some of the parts used in the construction of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating an alternative center-handle construction; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to the view of Fig. 2, but illustrating still another alternative construction.

Briefly stated, my invention in a preferred form contemplates an improved handle construction for revolubly mounting a handle upon a rod, crank, or the like, as in the case of a center handle for a bit brace. The frame to which the handle is to be applied is preferably annularly grooved to receive abutment means in loose-fitting relation thereto, and the abutment means preferably extends circumferentially of the frame, rod, or the like. The handle itself may be of plastic and in a plurality of parts suitably recessed to receive the outer projecting parts of the abutment means when the handle parts are secured to each other. Since the handle may thus be locked on the abutment means, and since the abutment means is loose on the frame or rod, the handle may be free to rotate with respect to the rod; and all supporting stresses may be borne by the abutment means, rather than directly by the handle.

Referring to the drawings, my invention in a preferred form is shown in application to a bit brace comprising a top handle [0 at the upper end of a frame member II. The frame member ll may include an oifset centrally located cranking portion l2 for the manual driving of a drill bit or the like, which may be supported in a chuck IS. The offset or cranking portion l2 may be grasped at a novel center handle [4 revolubly supported on the cranking portion l2 of the rod H.

In accordance with the invention, the center handle I4 may be made to take relatively great mechanical stresses when the brace is cranked, and these stresses may be readily assumed without the wear or strain on the handle M. In the forms to be described, the cranking portion [2 is annularly grooved, as at |5|6, to provide spaced means for locating abutments such as washer means for the support of the handle M. In the forms of Figs. 1 to 4, each of the washer means is a single piece I! which, before application to the rod l2, may be split, with open jaws I8--l 8 on one side thereof (see Fig. 3). Upon application to one of the grooves I5-l 6, the washer l'l may be clamped, as by pliers, until the jaws I8-l 8 abut, as shown in Fig. 2. When in clamped position, the inner contour of the washer I1 is preferably circular and of a radius to provide a clearance IS with the inner surface of the annular groove 15-46 to which it is applied.

When assembled to the rod portion [2, the washer I! may extend circumferentially of the rod for substantial engagement with an appropriately formed recess 20 in one of a plurality of handle segments 2 l-22. In the form shown the handle I 4 is formed of two halves 2I22, respectively, and, if desired, these halves may be of molded-plastic construction. One of the halves 22 is preferably applied to the washer means l1 so that its recess 20 spans the jaw ends 18 of the washer means 11, thus providing a means for perpetually clamping the jaw ends l8 together. The two handle halves 2i--22 may then be secured together by any desired means, such as by cementing, by screwing them together, or otherwise, but in the form shown I employ a number of dowels or pins 23 sunk in appropriately formed holes or recesses in the handle-half moldings. The dowels 23 are preferably knurled or otherwise roughened so that when cemented or otherwise bonded to the handle halves 2 l22, there may be a permanent secure bond of the handle halves together.

It will be understood that when assembled in the described manner the handle I4 may be permanent in its mounting on the cranking portion I2 of the bit brace and that it may be free to rotate about the said portion l2. Excessive stresses, in fact all stresses, are directly assumed by the washer means H, which is in effect unitarily carried with the handle halves 21-42. If desired, for a saving of handle plastic or other material, each of the halves 2 l22 may be cored out, as at 24 .Z, Without sacrificing strength, appearance, or eifectiveness of the handle M.

As indicated generally above, alternative means may be employed for securing the handle halves 2 I--22 together in tight-fitting relation with each other and with the washer means ll. In Fig. I show the employment of a metal ferrule 26 for this purpose. Ferrules, such as the ferrule 26, may be circumferentially continuous and fit as caps over both ends of both handle halves 2 |22. Although in the preferred forms described above I employ a single-piece washer I! in each of the grooves l5-l6, it will be understood that other forms may be equally satisfactory, as for example in the case of the construction of Fig. 6.

2 [-22 so that their Washer recesses 26 each span adjacent endsof the washer halves '2'! 28, it will be appreciated that each handle-half 2l22 of itself serves the function of clamping the washer halves 2l'?28 together. The. unit may be made into a permanent assembly by the dowel or pin means 23 of Fig. 2, er, if desired, the ferrule means of Fig. 5 may be employed.

It will be seen that I have described an exceedingly simple handle construction, which may have particular utility when it is desired to have a molded-plastic handle r'evolubly mounted upon a crank, rod, or the like, as in the case of a center handle ,foiya bit brace. I My novel construction permits assembly even after the frame member orrfOd. II for the bit brace has been bent and assembled with other parts of the bit brace; even so my center-handleconstruction may be completely ruggedandreadily assume the working stresses which develop upon cranking the bit brace.

While I have described my invention in detail for the preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character indicated, a rod having a pair of spaced apart circumferential grooves therein, washers in said grooves and in loose-fitting relation thereto, a handle member surrounding said rod and locked on and carried by said washers, said handle and locked on washers bein freely rotatable with respect to said rod, all stresses between said rotatable unitary handle and washers and said rod during cranking thereof being taken by said washers rather than directly by said handle.

, 2. In a device of the character indicated, a rod having a circumferential groove therein, a washer in said groove and in loose-fitting relation thereto, a handle member surrounding said rod and locked on and carried at one end by said washer, said handle and locked on washer being freely rotatable with respect to said rod, all stresses between said handle and rod being taken by said washer rather than directly by said handle, and bearing means at the other end of said handle fixed thereto and providing a free running of said handle on said rod atsaid other end;

' WILLIAM J. CAVANAGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 89,755 Foster May 4, 1869 773,576 Le'Blanc Nov. 1, 1904= 814,318 Peck 'Mar. 6, 1906 887,708 Stearns May 12, 1908 1,072,079 Bellows Sept. 2, 1913 1,295,879 Flannery Mar. 4, 1919 1,730,820 Holden Oct. 8, 1929 ,844,463 Dodd Feb, 9, 1932 2,496,700 Cole Feb. 7, 1950 

